Victims of the despicable attack include Rabbi Isaac Kogan, who testified in April, 2005 before the U.S. Helsinki Commission about Chabad’s efforts to retrieve the Schneerson Collection of sacred texts from Moscow. Rabbi Kogan is a famous refusenik appointed by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, to be part of Agudas Chasidei Chabad of the Former Soviet Union. The other leaders of the organization are Rabbi Yosef Aronov, Rabbi Boruch S. Cunin, and Rabbi Sholom Ber Levin, who are now en route to Moscow.
Among those seriously injured and hospitalized is Rabbi Kogan’s son- in-law, Rabbi Michoel Mishulovin, who had emigrated with his family from Russia to Los Angeles in the 1970s, but recently returned to Russia to assist the Jewish community there. Rabbi Avraham Berkowitz of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the Commonwealth of Independent States has been aiding efforts to secure medical care for the wounded, with the assistance of Lev Leviev. Russia’s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Berel Lazar, has been in touch with police authorities to ensure that justice is done.
STATEMENT BY AGUDAS CHASIDEI CHABAD OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION ON THE ANTI-SEMITIC ATTACK IN MOSCOW
JANUARY 11, 2006—We are outraged by the vicious anti-Semitic attack against Agudas Chasidei Chabad of the Former Soviet Union and those gathered in its Moscow Headquarters and Synagogue. We join with people of conscience around the world in condemning this hateful act, and send our prayers to those injured during the assault.
Victims of the despicable attack include Rabbi Isaac Kogan, who testified in April, 2005 before the U.S. Helsinki Commission about Chabad’s efforts to retrieve the Schneerson Collection of sacred texts from Moscow. Rabbi Kogan is a famous refusenik appointed by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, to be part of Agudas Chasidei Chabad of the Former Soviet Union. The other leaders of the organization are Rabbi Yosef Aronov, Rabbi Boruch S. Cunin, and Rabbi Sholom Ber Levin, who are now en route to Moscow.
Among those seriously injured and hospitalized is Rabbi Kogan’s son- in-law, Rabbi Michoel Mishulovin, who had emigrated with his family from Russia to Los Angeles in the 1970s, but recently returned to Russia to assist the Jewish community there. Rabbi Avraham Berkowitz of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the Commonwealth of Independent States has been aiding efforts to secure medical care for the wounded, with the assistance of Lev Leviev. Russia’s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Berel Lazar, has been in touch with police authorities to ensure that justice is done.
Sadly, this assault is not the first instance of violence committed at the Agudas Chasidei Chabad Headquarters and Synagogue, which is located just miles from the Kremlin on Bolshaya Bronnaya street. In April of 1992, the Synagogue was firebombed in middle of night while leaders of Agudas Chasidei Chabad were staying there, and numerous anti-Semitic attacks have occurred since then.
Today’s hateful crime only strengthens our resolve to carry on the Rebbe’s work in the former Soviet Union. We will redouble our efforts to win the release of the Schneerson Collection of sacred texts, and will not stop until it is returned to its rightful owners in the United States
Yeka Staff
People should be very careful when traveling in the former Soviet Union. You should only walk with a large group. Always carry mace, etc…
A not so publicized story:
An anti-Semite madman went wild at a camp in the Ukraine that was on a trip 2 summers ago. He was trying to stab any camper or staff member that he could. B"H, miraculously, they only had a few staff members wounded and not that seriously.
The staff managed to neutralize the man with the knife and 2 others that joined him.
The important thing to note is that they had over 20 staff members there. In contrast 2 Bochurim staff members in a nearby Ukraine camp were attacked by a bunch of Ukrainian skinheads. They were both hospitalized.. One for a concussion.
The gang walked over to the 2 and asked if they were Jewish. When responding yes they were immediately beaten.
Please be careful out there! It’s a miracle that nothing more serious happened in Russia or Ukraine. Bochurim watch out! Clearly the Rebbe is helping protect us but we must take precautions ie. Mace.. In the first story a second big guy that also had a knife was instantly neutralized by a staff member that acted quickly and sprayed him with mace he had on him. (Pepper spray works as well.)